Reading Rainbow turns into a startup, releases an iPad app

Back in 2009, NPR ran a story titled “‘Reading Rainbow’ Reaches Its Final Chapter.” At the time, that probably seemed like a reasonable headline — after all, after 26 years, the beloved TV show was going off the air, the victim of changing government funding priorities. But it looks like there’s actually a lot more …

Apple Adds Gay and Lesbian Couple Icons to iOS 6

The new version of Apple’s iPhone operating system comes with new emojis, the popular emoticons that are often used in texting and email, especially by young kids and nerdy adults like me. Two of these new pictograms represent gay and lesbian couples for the first time. The icons are placed next to the previous relationship-related emojis …

ESPN launches iPhone/iPad app version 4.0 – ESPN Radio

If you’re needing to keep Mike & Mike an arm’s length away at all times, ESPN has refreshed its Radio app to help with just that. Now optimized to the iPad in addition to the iPhone and iPod touch, the software allows you to sort your listening habits by sports, teams and athletes that you …

Facebook launches an App Center – finally can sort the 600+ apps

A bit overdue as it was way too hard to find apps in Facebook, also highlighted in bold is the ability to block all those app requests. Facebook recently launched App Center, offering a centralized place to find more than 600 Facebook and Facebook-related apps. Think of App Center as one part showcase for mobile …

Best free kids apps for iPad

PBS Kids Video The free PBS KIDS Video app brings all your child’s favorite shows right to your iPad. Curious George, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, Dinosaur Train, SUPER WHY!, Sesame Street and Wild Kratts and are all here and ready to entertain and educate. Download Now

Rick Steves’ Audio Europe – as an iPhone app

This app organizes the vast and varied library of Rick Steves’ audio content into geographic-specific playlists so that travelers can enjoy ready access to the information that relates specifically to their travel plans. Many tracks provide general cultural and sightseeing information gleaned from his public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. Other tracks are self-guided …

Have you downloaded the new Facebook Camera iPhone app?

Today, we’re introducing Camera, a new mobile app that makes using Facebook photos faster and easier. See friends’ photos all in one place When you launch the app, you’ll see a feed of just great photos from the people you care about. You can swipe to see more of any album or tap to enlarge …

Amtrak switches to iPhone scanners for conductors and apps for customers

Old-school train conductors are finally ready to give up their hole punchers to try something new: the iPhone. Amtrak has been training conductors since November to use the Apple handset as an electronic ticket scanner on a few routes, including from Boston to Portland, Me., and San Jose, Calif., to Sacramento. By late summer, 1,700 …

New App, Leafsnap, lets you identify a tree species by photographing a leaf

If you’ve ever wondered what type of tree was nearby but didn’t have a guide book, a new smartphone app allows users with no formal training to satisfy their curiosity and contribute to science at the same time. Scientists have developed the first mobile app to identify plants by simply photographing a leaf. The free …

Microsoft invests half billion in the Nook, making it more valuable than Barnes and Noble

Microsoft and Barnes & Noble have teamed up to compete against Apple and Amazon in the eBooks business. The new partnership sees Microsoft investing $300 million in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary. The $300 million investment in the Nook subsidiary of Barnes & Noble gives Microsoft about 17.6 percent ownership of this business unit. …